Barge unloader



Dec. 5, 1967 w. PRICE ETAL. 3,356,232

BARGE UNLOADER d 3 m m 1 T E t NmK w h PD 5 N ILE m MD 6 R m S EM 5 WH mm Y B E 6 6 9 l L l b e F d e l l n? their ATTORINEYS Dec. 5, 1967 Filed Feb. 11, 1966 W. L. PRICE ETAL BARGE UNLOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

'INVENTORS WILLIAM L.PRICE and HOWARD E. DYKEMAN their ATTORNEYS I 1967 w. L; PRICE ETAL 3,356,232

BARGB UNLOADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 11, 1966 Fig.6.

Fig.7.

time

. INVENTORS WILLIAM L. PRICE and HOWARD E. DYKEMAN their ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,356,232 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 3,356,232 BARGE UNLOADER William L. Price, Coraopolis, and Howard E. Dykeman,

Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 526,875 1 6 Claims. (Cl. 21414) This invention relates to bulk material handling and is for an apparatus for the unloading of bulk material, such as coal, sand and gravel from barges.

The invention herein described is designed especially for use in unloading river barges like those used on the Mississippi River, its tributaries, and other inland waterways, and it will be hereinafter described in that connection, but without limitation to its use elsewhere.

River barges vary in width from a usual minimum of about 26 feet to a maximum of about fifty feet, and their length commonly exceeds 100 feet and even exceeds 200 feet, but for the purposes of this application, width is more significant than length. They are flat-bottom vessels of relative shallow draft. Starting with a full load, the draft may range typically between approximately 9 feet to a draft of about 1 /2 feet when empty, but this will vary widely depending on the size and construction of the barge.

It is of course desirable to unload a barge with as little manual labor and as speedily as possible. It is also desirable that an unloader may be effectively used with barges of different inside widths. It is not practical to start at one end and remove all of the material and then work toward the other end because of the structural stresses in the barge that occur with one end loaded and the other end empty. Consequently it is the better practice to unload a barge by shuttling it back and forth under an unloader, usually beginning at one end and working toward the other, but removing only part of the total load on each pass. When the other end is reached, the barge is hauled back to the starting position and a second unloading pass is made, and this cycle may be repeated, if two are not sufiicient, until the barge is empty.

However, care must also be taken to keep the load fairly symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the vessel lest the barge list toward one side or the other. If a bucket chain unloader is used, the material cannot be cleared off the bottom of a barge which is severely listing.

The present invention is designed to provide rapid unloading while keeping the barge on a substantially even keel, and which may be effectively used on barges of. varying inside widths. Provision is also made for controlling the bottom end of the unloader with reference to the bottom of the barge in such manner that as the load is removed and the barge becomes more buoyant, the depth to which material is removed may be maintained.

In general, the invention contemplates the use of two parallel endless chain bucket type diggers suspended from a common over head support that may move up and down with changes in the water level or changes in the draft of the barget as it is being unloaded. These diggers may be operated together as a single unit working along the center line of the barge during the early part of the unloading, and when racked apart, that is, moved in opposite directions toward the sides of the barge as unloading progresses. It is sometimes desirable, but by no means necessary, that the supporting structure for the split digging arrangement so provided shall itself be on a floating support to assure adequate clearance above the barge at all stages of the water level in the river.

The invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which, because of the large size of the apparatus, are largely schematic, and for purposes of illustration purely structural details unimportant to the invention are omitted. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of the unloader looking at one end of the float with the barge in position under the unloader being schematically illustrated by the cross-hatched area;

FIG. 2 is a transverse horizontal section on a larger scale in substantially the plane of line IIII of FIG. 1, and looking downwardly, much of the structural tower, however, being omitted;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the horizontal frame portion extending outwardly from the vertically-movable frame structure, certain parts of the apparatus being omitted for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a more or less schematic view representing a transverse section in the plane of line IV-IV of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic view on a smaller scale than FIG. 4, but showing the elements of FIG. 4 more schematically and showing the full vertical extent of digging apparatus and indicating its engagement with the load of material in the barge;

' FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a hydraulic system for controlling the movement of one of the twin digging units; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic transverse section diagramming one manner of unloading of a barge, the view being entirely schematic.

In the drawings we have illustrated an unloader mounted on a float, but which might just as well be mounted on a dock, and in some cases the unloader could be supported on two parallel floats separated a distance suflicient to enable a barge to move between them, in which case the unloader to be hereinafter described has a frame supported at both ends by towers on the two barges and the frame bridging the space between the two barges.

In the drawings, 2 designates a float anchored along the shore and having a length and width comparable to that of a barge, its length being such that the side of the barge may be held close to the side of the floatto maintain the two parallel during unloading. Generally there will be a concrete pier or anchor cell of the type commonly used along inland waterways for docking purposes at each end of the float, a portion of one of these being shown at 3.

On the float 2 there is a structural steel tower 4 which includes flanged vertical columns 6 constituting also rails for the vertically-movable frame to be described. There are at least two of these rails separated from each other, as best seen in FIG. 2. There is a vertically-movable frame designated generally as 7 mounted for movement up and down on these rails. This frame includes a vertical portion 8 having uprights 9 parallel with the column or rails 6. This frame has vertically-spaced rollers 10 thereon that bear on the face of the upright rails, and vertically-spaced rollers 11 that engage the other face of the vertical rail flanges whereby the frame may move freely up and down the rails while being confined from separating therefrom. Provision for raising and lowering the frame is indicated by sheaves 12 on the frame and sheaves 13 and 14 on the top of the tower, a cable 1-5 being reeved about sheaves 12 and 13 and passing over sheave 14 and then extending to the deck of the float where it wraps about the drum of a power-driven winch 16. The frame will be lifted by the winch or will lower by gravity under control of the winch.

Projecting laterally from the vertical frame portion is a rigid horizontal frame portion or cantilever 17, the

length of which is such as to project out beyond the river side of the barge sufliciently to overhang the widest barge with which the unloader is designed to work. A barge to be unloaded is indicated at A in position beneath the horizontal frame.

Extending along the horizontal frame portion are spaced parallel rails 18. There are two similar carriages, 19 and 20 on the frame movable in opposite directions along these rails toward or away from a mid position where they abut away. Each of these carriages has flanged vertical wheels 21 that ride on the rails, and horizontal wheels 22 (see FIG. 4) that bear against the inner faces of the webs of the rails to hold the respective carriages against thrust in a direction transverse to the rails.

Since the carriages are similar, similar reference numerals have been used to designate corresponding parts. There is an under frame 23 suspended from each carriage in which is supported a sprocket wheel shaft 24 that extends in a direction parallel with the rails. Each sprocket shaft has a drive wheel 25 thereon which is driven by a belt or chain 26 from .a motor and reducing gear unit 27 on the carriage. The sprocket shaft has spaced sprocket Wheels 28 thereon about which pass the chains 28a indicated at 29 of an endless bucket type flight conveyor or digger, the buckets of which are schematically indicated at 30. The digger may be of any suitable type, but preferably is of the construction more particularly described in copending application of Howard E. Dykeman, Ser. No. 526,779, filed Feb. 11, 1966, now Patent No. 3,337,025, wherein the buckets are wider at their outer face than at their inner face, thereby enabling the buckets to be effective over a width greater than the distance between the chains. Whatever the construction of the diggers, the inner ends of the buckets move in close parallel paths when the two diggers are together with their respective carriages in abutting relation so as to function for practical purposes as a single wide digger.

Also carried on the under frame of each carriage is a receiving hopper or chute 31 located to receive material from the buckets as they pass around the upper sprocket shaft. As here shown, these hoppers have a bottom opening 31' located over the concaved upper reach 32 of an endless belt-receiving conveyor. This conveyor is supported under the vertically-movable horizontal frame entirely independently of the respective carriages, so that the carriages may move along the frame and always discharge material from their respective hoppers onto this conveyor. The lower reach of the belt conveyor is designated 32a and the outer end of the belt passes around a pulley shaft 33 at the outer end of the horizontal frame and a pulley shaft 34 at the inner end of said frame, this being the discharge end of the conveyor.

Extending downwardly at an incline from the carriage is a rigid structure frame 35. The lower end of this frame supports a shaft 36 on which are lower sprocket wheels 37 for the bucket chain type diggers. The diggers are designed with adequate slack length so that each has a descending reach which is more nearly vertical from the point where it is clear of the receiving hopper to the lower end than is the ascending reach which is supported by the inclined structure 35 up which the buckets travel. This slack forms what is known in the art as a bag, where the bucket chains form a downwardly-widening loop in which the buckets move more or less horizontally from the descending reach of the ascending one, the direction of travel being indicated by the upper arrow in FIG. where the direction of travel of the barge to be unloaded is indicated by the lower arrow.

The receiving belt conveyor 32-32a has its discharge end positioned over the receiving end of a transfer belt conveyor 40, said transfer conveyor having its receiving end pivotally secured to the vertically-movable frame directly under the discharge end of the receiving conveyor. There is a pulley 41 about which the belt at the receiving end of the transfer conveyor passes, and the shaft for this pulley may provide the pivotal connection between the transfer conveyor and the frame. The transfer conveyor extends across the float and has a discharge terminal 42 on a carriage 43 that is slidable long the lower end of conveyor 44 which has its lower end pivotally supported at 45 on the float, and the other end of which terminates at some point on land up the bank. Conveyor arrangements of various types other than the specific ones here described may be used, it being important, however, that the receiving end of the transfer conveyor be attached to some part of the vertically-movable frame structure under the conveyor 32, and that one end of the transfer conveyor be free to move longitudinally relatively to the conveyor 44 or the conveyor 32-32a to compensate for the relative movement that occurs when the frame moves up and down on the tower or the float rises or falls with the change of water level.

Means is provided for racking the two carriages 20 and 21 toward and away from each other. This may take various forms, but one desirable mechanism for this purpose is shown which comprises a separate fluid pressure cylinder on each carriage, the long axis of which is parallel with the rails 18. The cylinder for the carriage on the shore side is designated 50, and the one on the carriage at the river side is 51. Each has its own piston rod 50a and 51a, respectively. The projecting end of rod 50a is pivotally anchored to the shore end of the horizontal frame at 50b, and the end of rod 51a is pivotally anchored to the river end of the frame at 51b.

The operation of the fluid pressure cylinders is through a more or less conventional fluid pressure control system, this system for one cylinder being shown in FIG. 6. This system includes a reservoir 55 from which a pump 56 forces fluid at high pressure into line 57 through a check valve 58. 59 indicates a usual bypass for circulating liquid back to the tank when it is not being used. There is an accumulator 60 connected into the line 57. Line 57 leads to a conventional type of four-way valve 61 which is double solenoid-operated with springs to center it in neutral position. From this valve, line 62 leads through an adjustable flow rate integral check valve element, schematically indicated at 63 to one end of the cylinder. A similar pipe 64 with a similar valve leads to the other end of the cylinder. When pressure fluid is admitted to one end of the cylinder, it is forced out the other into the reservoir.

If one fluid pressure pump is provided for both cylinders, then the other fluid pressure cylinder is connected at branch pipes 66 and 67 to the pump, accumulator and reservoir. By using two four-way valve units instead of one, either cylinder may be operated independently of the other, or by common control of the solenoids the two units may be operated together. In this case the pump and fluid pressure system would require the use of flexible hoses, with the pump and motor being on the vertically movable frame. As here shown there is a separate fluid pressure pump and system for each carriage, mounted on the carriage and schematically illustrated at 68. In this case both fluid pressure cylinders are under separate control, but they may be operated in unison, through electric controls from the operators cab.

The horizontal portion of the vertically-movable frame structure as here shown has an operators cab 70 suspended therefrom near the shore end of the horizontal frame portion, but which may be located elsewhere so long as the operator has a view of the unloader. The cab is glass-enclosed, and in it are located all of the necessary controls for the winch, the various motors, and the hydraulic or other system for moving the carriages.

In operation, the barge is brought alongside the float 2, and as it is brought into position alongside the float, the vertically-movable frame 7 is moved up the tower 4 to a level where the lower ends of the twin bucket diggers will be entirely clear of the load on the barge, the load commonly being heaped above the level of the deck of the barge. Assuming that the unloading is to begin at the upstream end of the barge, this end of the barge will be positioned under the vertically-movable frame structure and the forward end of the barge will be connected by a cable to a winch (not shown) commonly referred to as a barge haul at the upstream end of the float. The twin bucket diggers in abutting side-by-side relation will be centered over the longitudinal axis of the barge and the frame structure 7 lowered, and the endless diggers will be started. They will initially dig down into the load at the forward end of the barge, and as removal of the load continues, they will penetrate to a depth of approximately half the depth of the load. The barge will then be slowly moved upstream by the barge haul as the endless chain bucket diggers will remove a first pass from the center of the load on the barge. This is schematically indicated in FIG. 7 where the shaded section A represents the section of material which is removed during the first pass which is referred to as a hogging pass. When the hogging pass has been completed the full length of the barge, a barge haul at the opposite end of the float will move the barge back to its starting position. Since, however, a large part of the load has been removed, the barge will be more buoyant and rise to a higher level so that in this return movement of the barge the vertical frame will be lifted clear of the load on the barge. It will again be lowered at the upstream end of the barge to a level where the bag of the diggers will dig into the load down to the floor of the barge and a second pass will be taken down the center, this being referred to as the second hogging pass and the section of the material that is removed in this pass is schematically indicated in FIG. 7 by the unshaded area B. On a barge of narrow width there will then remain in the barge only that portion of the load which is against the side walls. Here again of course the barge rises in the water because of its greater buoyancy and the height of the conveyors must be correspondingly adjusted. The barge is again moved to its starting position and the carriageoperating mechanism is operated to move the carriages in opposite directions to position their respective bucket diggers to a position over the floor of the barge to remove the remainder of the load which is against the two side walls. This third pass is referred to as the cleanup pass and when it is complete, substantially all of the load will have been removed from the barge.

Assuming the width of each of the twin bucket conveyors to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 feet, barges in the range from 26 feet in inside Width to approximately 35 feet in inside width can be unloaded in three passes, but as the width of the barges increases, additional passes may be required intermediate the second hogging pass and the final cleanup pass, or the bucket conveyors may be more or less continuously reciprocated sideways to include a wider path in the cleanup pass. This is made possible by moving the bucket conveyors apart to the extent necessary. An important advantage of our invention is that when the diggers are moving sideways against the load in the barge, the lateral thrust relative to the barge is equalized.

The material which is removed by the bucket diggers is dumped at the upper ends of these diggers into the respective receiving hoppers or chutes 30 through which the material falls onto the receiving top reach 32 of the belt conveyor. It is transferred at the inner end of this conveyor onto the transfer belt conveyor 40 and transferred across the barge to the third conveyor which carries the material up the bank to the land.

If the unloader is mounted on a float, it will rise and fall with the change of water level. The height of the tower 4 on the barge therefore needs to be only adequate to clear the deepest barge when it is fully unloaded, plus head room clearance of a few feet, but when the unloader is positioned on land, the tower 4 must be high enough to adapt to the highest expected water level.

While we have shown and described one specific embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that thi is by way of illustration and that various changes ant modifications may be made according to the location i1 which the unloader is used, and according to the speed a which unloading is to be accomplished. Also it will b understood that where the channel of a river or the lock: in the river are of a width such that only barges of narrov width can travel that particular waterway, there is m reason for increasing the length of travel of the carriage: on the horizontal portion of the frame beyond the maxi mum Width of the barge than can navigate that particula1 waterway. Also there may be instances where the transfei conveyor may be required to extend lengthwise of the float instead of crosswise, but such modifications are easily provided for by those familiar with belt conveyor: once the material has been unloaded from the barge intc the receiving belt conveyor 32-32a its disposition frorr that conveyor may be taken care of in various ways, a: long as the arrangement permits of the necessary vertical movement of the frame on the tower rails.

We have shown one embodiment of our invention and a typical manner of using it, but various changes and modifications are contemplated under the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A barge unloader comprising:

a tower structure supported for movement of a barge alongside of it,

a frame mounted on the tower for vertical movement, the frame having a horizontal structure extending outwardly therefrom to reach across a barge positioned alongside the tower,

means for effecting vertical movement of the frame,

a pair of carriages on the frame movable toward and away from each other,

means for effecting movement of the carriages in opposite directions along the said horizontal structure,

an endless digger depending from each carriage, and driving means on each carriage for their respective diggers,

means on the horizontal structure for reciving material from both of said diggers in any position to which their respective carriages are moved, and

means for receiving material from said first receiving means.

2. A barge unloader as defined in claim 1 wherein the carriages move from an abutting position over the center line of the barge to positions adjacent the opposite ends of the horizontal structure, the diggers on the respective carriages being in close side-by-side parallel relation when the carriages are together.

3. A barge unloader as defined in claim 1 wherein the carriages move from an abutting position over the center line of the barge to positions adjacent the opposite ends of the horizontal structure, the diggers on the respective carriages being in close side-by-side parallel relation when the carriages are together, the diggers on the carriages being of equal width and their combined widths being less than the minimum width of the interior of any barge with which the unloader is to be used.

4. A barge unloader as defined in claim 1 wherein each carriage has a receiving chute at the upper end of the bucket conveyor into which the digger discharges and each chute has a material outlet therefrom, the means for receiving material from the diggers comprising a belt conveyor extending lengthwise of the horizontal structure and positioned to receive material from the outlets of the respective chutes.

5. A barge unloader as defined in claim 4 wherein the second named material receiving means is also a belt conveyor having a receiving end pivoted at one end to the vertically-movable frame in such manner that the receiving end may move up and down with the frame, the receiving end of said second belt conveyor being located to receive material from said first belt conveyor.

7 8 6. A barge unloader as defined in claim 1 wherein said References Cited means for moving the carriages comprises a separate fluid UNITED STATES PATENTS pressure cylinder member and piston member for each 978 908 12/1910 Leary XR carriage, one of said members being fixed t0 the carriage 2 322504 6/1943 Brand; 214 14 and the other being anchored to the said horizontal struc- 5 ture. ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BARGE UNLOADER COMPRISING: A TOWER STRUCTURE SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT OF A BARGE ALONGSIDE OF IT, A FRAME MOUNTED ON THE TOWER FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, THE FRAME HAVING A HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM TO REACH ACROSS A BARGE POSITIONED ALONGSIDE THE TOWER, MEANS FOR EFFECTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE FRAME, A PAIR OF CARRIAGES ON THE FRAME MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ALONG THE SAID HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE, 